This invention relates to wet shaving razors, and more particularly to a razor that permits clean-out of the blade cartridge by way of faucet water passing into the handle inlet, through the handle and manifold and out the water flush-out ports above, below and adjacent the razor blade or blades in the cartridge.
Wet shaving razors are utilized by both men and women in removing unwanted body hair. Typically, the razor user washes the area to be shaved and then applies a beard or hair softening foam or gel. After which, the razor with its shaving blades is dragged over the body surface to cut off the unwanted hair or beard at the skin surface.
Early razors were characterized as having a blade pivotally mounted to the handle and the handle being adapted to receive the razor blade portion when not in use. Next, razors were devised to be a single unit with an openable head adapted to receive and support a double edge razor blade that could be disposed of upon the dulling of the blade and replaced with a new double edge razor blade.
Next, razors were made of molded plastic having an integral handle connected to a razor cartridge or head supporting one or more razor blades. Subsequently, the handles were designed to be more ergonomic and to support detachable razor cartridges. Upon a dulling or clogging up of the razor cartridge, the user simply ejected the cartridge from the handle and put on a new razor cartridge with sharp and clean blades.
The next significant razor improvement included making the blade cartridge pivotally mountable to the handle to permit the cartridge to follow the contours of the face or skin. Overcaps or shields were also developed for razors to protect the blade and to insure that one would not easily cut oneself when reaching within a tote or shaving kit bag having the razor therein. Water soluble shaving aids were also placed on the cap portion of the razor cartridge which provided for a lubricant, softener, medicinal agent and cosmetic agent as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,821 issued to Booth on Oct. 16, 1979.
Razor blade cartridges generally consisted of a platform portion supporting a first razor blade with a spacer thereupon and a second razor blade upon the spacer, all of which are held in place by a cap. Razor blade cartridges are press fit together, as well as by other mechanical, adhesive or heat bonding techniques, which are known in the prior art. These inexpensive and easy assembly techniques have made razors and razor blade cartridges readily disposable.
The single, most disconcerting problem with razor blade cartridges is that they tend to clog with the freshly cut foamed hair or beard, rendering the cartridge somewhat inoperable in that one can no longer get a clean shave or a clean presentation of the razor blades upon the skin.
Thus, spacers were made that could be moved from the retracted position relative to the blades to an advanced ejecting position forcing out hair and soap from between the blades. Examples of this technology are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,296 issued to Ishida on Sep. 13, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,437 issued to Chen on Jun. 3, 1980; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,277 issued to Chen on Aug. 17, 1982. While the anti-clogging feature of the spacer tended to generally work, it did not completely clean the razor cartridge, especially above and below and adjacent the razor blades within the cartridge to insure optimum subsequent usage of the razor.
The Gillette Company of Boston, Mass. has subsequently developed two razors called the Sensor.RTM. and the Mach III.RTM.. These razors attempt to present open spaces between the blades for cleaning. However, these designs do not permit thorough flushing out of the razor cartridge and require that water be flushed through the cartridge from multiple angles because the blades are L-shaped in cross section likely for strength.
There is a need for a simple flush out cleanable razor that will permit the user to simply flush cut hairs, soap and beard particles out of the razor cartridge and in and around the razor blades, to insure a smooth clean shave with the next stroke. Such a flush out cleanable razor should be easily flushed out from a single easy to locate inlet port.